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Ontario's Birding Hotspot: Point Pelee National Park

Program Number: 20204RJ
Start and End Dates:
5/14/2012 - 5/19/2012; 9/8/2013 - 9/14/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Point Pelee, Ontario
Price starting at: $1,361.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Birding
Meals: 14; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 5 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Point Pelee is a birding hotspot where thousands of migratory songbirds find refuge in the park’s habitats. Watch and listen for Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bunting and Wood Warblers in brilliant breeding plumage, and observe Bald Eagle, Red-headed Woodpecker and rare species like Kirtland’s Warbler and Mississippi Kite. With an expert birder and photographer, study the plumage, voices and behaviors that distinguish one species from the next.




Highlights

• Visit several important birding areas including Longpoint and Rondeau Provincial Parks and Point Pelee National Park, which resounds with songbirds in the spring.
• Observe Wood Warblers like Chestnut-sided, Magnolia Cape May, and possibly rarer species.
• With a professional wildlife photographer, learn field techniques for taking quality bird and nature photos.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to 2.5 miles on flat, open trails, thick vegetation, muddy terrain, small inclines. Field trips begin before dawn. Our program is limited to 18 participants with one expert guide.




Date Specific Information

9-8-2013

This date will also provide opportunities for viewing hawks and butterflies. See daily schedule for details on Fall birding.
Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Itinerary Summary

Independent arrival Windsor, transfer to Simcoe,1 night; Chatham, 2 nights; Leamington, 3 nights; transfer to Windsor, independent departure.



Coordinated by Routes to Learning Canada.




Point Pelee

Situated on a foundation of glacial sand, silt and gravel biting into Lake Erie, Point Pelee is the southernmost location in mainland Canada. More than 360 bird species have been recorded in Point Pelee National Park, where a mix of marsh and woodland provides the first landfall for weary birds during their spring migration north across the lake.
Accommodations
For lodging information, call or go to www.roadscholar.org/20204.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Tony Beck
Tony Beck is a freelance birder and naturalist based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His award-winning photography appears in many books, websites, magazines and calendars. He teaches bird watching and nature photography courses both independently and through a variety of institutions. As a freelance educational excursion leader, Tony has led adventures throughout North America, the Pacific, Africa and Antarctica.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Comfort Inn
  Long Point Provincial Park (Simcoe) 2 nights
   Travelodge Chatham
  Rondeau Provincial Park (Chatham) 1 night
   Pelee Days Inn
  Point Pelee National Park (Leamington) 2 nights
 Comfort Inn
Type: Hotel
  Description: With a central location that accommodates any itinerary, visitors are in close proximity to all of Norfolk County's beautiful areas and events. The nearby Long Point World Biosphere Reserve features unique sand pit formations. An internationally recognized designation administered by the United Nations, Long Point Provincial Park lies within it.
  Contact info: 85 The Queensway East
Simcoe, ON N3Y 4M5 Canada
phone: 519-426-2611
web: www.comfortinn.com/hotel-simcoe-canada
  Room amenities: All guest rooms have air conditioning and cable television. In addition, some rooms have irons and ironing boards. Computer hook-ups in all rooms and free wireless high-speed Internet access in all rooms. Free weekday newspaper and free local calls. In-room air conditioning, wake-up service.
  Facility amenities: Currency Exchange, Free Coffee, Interior Corridors, Picnic Area. Rental Refrigerator/Valet Cleaning Service (fee for service)
  Smoking allowed: No
  Check in time: 2:00 PM

 Travelodge Chatham
Type: Hotel
  Description: At the Chatham Travelodge you will learn the true meaning of warm hospitality. Your care is our affair. Our attention to the smallest details, as well as unobtrusive service, blend with a modern restful decor to make the Chatham Travelodge a great place to stay while in the area.
  Contact info: 55 Bloomfield Road
Chatham, ON N7M 5J5 Canada
phone: 519-436-1200
web: www.travelodgechatham.com
  Room amenities: TV with cable channels, video-game consoles, and pay movies. Dial-up Internet access is provided along with phones and free local calls. Refrigerators, microwaves, iron/iron board and coffee/tea makers. Bathrooms include hair dryers. Air conditioning, climate control, and clock radios are also included. Amenities available on request include wake-up calls.
  Facility amenities: Free newspapers in the lobby. Rooms are accessible via exterior corridors.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes

 Pelee Days Inn
Type: Inn
  Description: Nestled in the most southern region of Canada, moments from the shores of Lake Erie, The Pelee Days Inn is a resort style hotel, with a Caribbean climate all year round provided by sun domes courtyard and indoor swimming salt water pools, in a warm and enticing atmosphere. The Pelee offers fine accommodations, exquisite dining, and a dinner theatre, plus banquet and meeting facilities.
  Contact info: 566 Bevel Line Road
Leamington, ON N8H 3V4 Canada
phone: 519-326-8646
web: peleedaysinn.com/index.htm
  Room amenities: Rooms have hair dryers, coffee makers and refrigerators.
  Facility amenities: The amenities abound with two indoor heated salt water pools, two water slides, whirlpool, sauna, recreational games, pool tables, arcade gallery, garden atrium and outdoor volleyball court. Enjoy the resort style badminton on our court, mini putting green, golf courses, boating, fishing and nature walks on Lake Erie add to the Hotel's superb facilities. High speed secured wireless Internet throughout the hotel.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Check out time: 11:00 AM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
Group meets at 2:30 pm in Windsor at designated location. You will be staying at Comfort Inn that night.
  End of Program:
Independent departures from Windsor after breakfast. You will be staying at Pelee Days Inn the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Parking details TBA
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Long Point Provincial Park (Simcoe)
  Nearest city or town:  Windsor
  Nearest highway: Hwy 401 Trans Canada Highway
  Nearest airport:  Windsor/Detroit
  From End of Program
  Location:  Point Pelee National Park (Leamington)
  Nearest city or town:  Leamington
  Nearest airport:  Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Travel Details
 

Detroit to Windsor

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Robert Q Shuttle
phone: 800-265-4948
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

Approximately $38.00 one way $75.00 round trip (prices subject to change)
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

Approximately one hour to Holiday Inn Select Windsor to meet the group leader 
   

Robert Q Shuttle www.robertq.com or email airbus@robertq.com From Detroit Metro Airport to Windsor Holiday Inn Select 1855 Huron Church Road. At 2:30 pm your group leader/birder will meet you at the Holiday Inn Select and take you to the first hotel in Simcoe. For assistance with pre/post add on hotel accommodations, medical/travel insurance, car rentals, or to customize your extended stay please contact Maritime Travel toll free 1-888-905-5959 or by email at dtracey@maritimetravel.ca.

 
Driving Directions
  From the East (Toronto) Highway 401 West to Highway 3 which turns into Huron Church Road. Turn left at Malden Road. The hotel is located on the left side of the intersection of Huron Church Road and Malden Road. Group will meet at the Holiday Inn Select Hotel in Windsor.
  From the US (Detroit) From the US: Take I-75 South Exit at Porter Street to the Bridge to Canada. Bridge exists at Huron Church Road. Turn right at Malden Road. The hotel is located on the left side of the intersection of Huron Church Road and Malden Road. Group will meet at the Holiday Inn Select Hotel in Windsor.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrivals to Windsor/Welcome Dinner
(Monday, May 14)
   
 Afternoon: ARRIVALS: From Windsor we work our way north along the shores of Lake Erie to the Long Point Area. If time permits, before checking into our hotel, we'll visit Big Creek National Wildlife area, near Long Point. Here we'll observe a number of wetland species on both sides of the causeway. With good conditions in the cattail marshes, we should see Sandhill Crane, Black Tern, Marsh Wren and Swamp Sparrow. With luck we might see Least Bittern, Virginia Rail or Sora. On the Long Point Inner Bay, we should see Osprey, Caspian Tern and Mute Swan. After arrival and check-in there will be a welcome dinner, introductions and an orientation to the program.
 Dinner: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Comfort Inn
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Birding - Long Point Provincial Park/Bird Sanctuary
(Tuesday, May 15)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.
 Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Long Point Provincial Park. The Long Point area is named for the huge sand spit that juts out into the middle of Lake Erie. It is also one of the finest birding spots on the Great Lakes. The Long Point area hosts more than 25 species of nesting warblers, including some of the less common species. En-route to Long Point, we'll drive through the St. Williams Conservation Reserve. We'll check the pine plantations and open scrub habitats for both resident and migratory species. Hopefully, we'll see Blue-winged Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Field sparrow and Blue-headed Vireo. Later, we'll stop in at the Old Cut Field Station to observe bird-banding in process. The thick vegetation around this corner of the peninsula can be excellent for a variety of migratory species including several wood-warblers, various thrushes and Scarlet Tanager. This is also a good area for rare species like Worm-eating Warbler. We will also visit the Bird Sanctuary.
 Lunch: Lunch at Long Point.
 Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: Bird watching continues back on mainland, in particular the Backus Woods and Wilson's Tract. These mature woodlots attract Carolinian species and a variety of migrants. Here we hope to see Hooded Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Vireo and a number of migrant songbirds.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Comfort Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Birding - Rondeau Provincial Park
(Wednesday, May 16)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out.
 Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Rondeau Provincial Park. This morning we leave Long Point and head west along the Lake Erie shore to Rondeau Provincial Park, a lesser-known but very birdy peninsula. Rondeau is one of Canada’s finest remaining examples of Carolinian forest and is the stronghold for the country’s few remaining nesting Prothonotary Warblers. Upon arrival to the park, we'll check out the visitor center, and then hike the Tulip Tree trail, with a chance to see rare Prothonotary Warbler. Other species present include Red-headed Woodpecker, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher and a variety of migrant warblers.
 Lunch: Bag lunch in the Park.
 Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: After lunch, we'll continue birding around Rondeau, including areas around the picnic ground, the Spice Bush Trail and/or the Pony Barns.
 Dinner: Dinner in a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Travelodge Chatham
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4: Birding - Point Pelee National Park/Marsh Boardwalk
(Thursday, May 17)
   
 Breakfast: Early breakfast at hotel.
 Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Point Pelee National Park. We begin with an early breakfast and then head into the park, birding various sites throughout the morning. Point Pelee is one of the continent's most famous migration hotspots, and justly so. Jutting out far into Lake Erie, the point is a magnet for tired northbound birds, and on a good day it can be teeming with birds, including up to 30 species of warblers, all in beautiful breeding plumage. We'll spend the full morning exploring the various birding trails around the tip of Point Pelee. Spring migration will be in full force, so we'll see a number of migrating warblers and other songbirds. If conditions are good, we'll get excellent looks at many different species like Blackburnian Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and with luck, perhaps a few rare species like Connecticut Warbler, Kentucky Warbler or Kirtland's Warbler.
 Lunch: Lunch in the park.
 Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINUES: The Pelee area offers the potential for some of the most exciting migration birding anywhere in North America, and it has a great reputation for turning up rarities such as Kirtland’s Warbler. Bird watching continues, first in the park at the Marsh Boardwalk, and later outside the park at Hillman's Marsh and/or the Onion Fields.
 Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.
   
Accommodations: Pelee Days Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Birding - Point Pelee National Park/Pelee Island Winery
(Friday, May 18)
   
 Breakfast: Early breakfast at the hotel (5:00 a.m.)
 Morning: BIRDING FIELD TRIP: Point Pelee National Park. The chance to see so many different birds alongside each other, all in their rich breeding colors, is what has made Pelee a birding legend. Daily totals typically exceed 100 species. We'll start again at the tip of the park. Besides looking for migratory songbirds, we'll also check the tip for shorebirds, waterfowl, terns and gulls. No doubt, the woods will be alive with bird song. And, we'll spend time to get good views of as many as possible. We should see resident species such as Orchard Oriole, Carolina Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker. Mixed in with the warblers, we might see uncommon birds like Whip-poor-will, Clay-coloured Sparrow, or something rare like Henslow's Sparrow.
 Lunch: Lunch in the park.
 Afternoon: EXCURSION: Pelee Island Winery is Canada's warmest and southernmost appellation - Pelee is on the same latitude as the prestigious wine regions of the world (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany and France). www.peleeisland.com/index.php
 Afternoon: BIRDING CONTINTUES: Point Pelee is one of the world's best-known migration hotspots, attracting birders from all over the world and the annual mass migration is a striking spectacle. Depending on bird activity in the park, we might venture away to other birding locations north, including the Comber Conservation Area or St. Clair National Wildlife Area. However, if the park is proving highly productive, we'll stay to do a few more trails within its boundaries.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner and program wrap-up.
   
Accommodations: Pelee Days Inn
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Departures
(Saturday, May 19)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel followed by check-out. Coach transfer to Windsor for departures home.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


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